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Clarkson University Athletics

At Princeton
Photo courtesy of Princeton Athletics
3
Clarkson CLK 4-10-0, 1-5-0
4
Winner Princeton PRI 5-2-0, 2-2-0
Clarkson CLK
4-10-0, 1-5-0
3
Final
4
Princeton PRI
5-2-0, 2-2-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 F
Clarkson CLK 2 0 1 3
Princeton PRI 0 1 3 4

Game Recap: Men's Hockey |

Knights Late Rally Just Short in 4-3 Loss at Princeton

Princeton, NJ – Playing for much of the final two-plus minutes without the goalie in the crease, the Clarkson University Men's Hockey team picked up one extra-attacker goal in the waning moments but could not get a second, coming up short in a 4-3 loss to Princeton on Saturday night at Hobey Baker Arena.

The Golden Knights saw their record drop to 4-10-0 on the year and 1-5-0 in ECAC play, while the Tigers edged upward to 5-2-0 and 2-2-0. Clarkson takes a break from league play next weekend, taking on UMass Lowell and Alaska Fairbanks in the Adirondack Invitational, held at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, NY.

Things started off well for the Green and Gold on Saturday as the Knights struck twice in a stretch of only 48 seconds in the opening period. Princeton had a solid chance from Jaxson Ezman on a breakaway which was stoned by Clarkson netminder Shane Soderwall, but shortly thereafter Clarkson found itself on the power play. Just 16 seconds in the power play opportunity, the Knights found the back of the net when Tristan Sarsland's shot from the point was redirected by Talon Sigurdson. Though that attempt was ticked away, the puck barely had time to move before Owen Van Steensel knocked in the rebound for his fifth goal of the year.

Less than a minute later, Clarkson scored for a second time, this time while the two teams skated even. Jack Sparkes flipped the puck from the right point towards the net, and it took a strange route when it kicked off a player's skate. Fortunately for the Knights, that change of direction went right to the stick of Luke Pakulak at the opposite post where he quickly deposited the puck into the back of the net at 13:13 for a 2-0 lead.

At the start of the second period, things were still strongly shifted towards the Golden Knights. The Clarkson defense held the Tigers without a shot of any kind for more than 11 minutes and well over 12 minutes without a shot on goal. Meanwhile, the Green and Gold almost picked up a third goal just a couple of minutes into the frame when William Bishop's shot from the right post rung off the opposite post and out of play.

Princeton got on the scoreboard in one of the most fortunate ways, getting a breakaway following the completion of a power play for the Knights. Clarkson took a shot just as the power play was coming to an end with Conor Callaghan making the save for the Tigers and the rebound was quickly cleared by David Jacobs off the left boards and down the ice. It could not have been better timing for Princeton as Luc Pelletier was exiting the penalty box for a wide open breakaway, and he went five-hole against Soderwall to make it 2-1 at 11:39 in the second.

The Knights nearly picked up a goal on a breakaway by Erik Bargholtz two minutes later, but the rest of the period belonged to Princeton's offense. The Tigers enjoyed a three-minute stretch on the power play, including 63 seconds of 5-on-3, but Clarkson allowed next to nothing in terms of shots on goal in that long stretch, maintaining its one-goal lead at the close of the second period.  

The game eventually would get knotted up at 2-2 thanks to a strong individual play from Princeton's Kai Daniells, as he battled for the puck deep in the offensive zone allowing his teammates to make a change. Eventually Daniells passed the puck to Kevin Anderson near the top of the right circle. Anderson rifled a shot that was stopped by Soderwall, but the rebound bounced hard back out to Anderson again and he ripped another shot high and into the back of the net at 4:29.

The Tigers took their first lead of the game midway through the third period after winning a battle near the neutral zone and then quickly transitioning for a short 2-on-1. Brendan Gorman started the play with a pass near the center dot to the right side with Jaxson Ezman skating in close and sending a pass through the slot for Julian Facchinelli, who finished with a backhand at the opposite post at 8:12.

Clarkson had some chances over the next few minutes, including a strong bid by Justin Cote with a little over three minutes remaining. However, that miss in the Princeton end turned into an opportunity for the Tigers as they rushed in the other direction and converted. After a missed one-timer in the slot, the Tigers kept possession behind the net. Daniells picked up possession near the wall and skated around into the slot and went top left to make it 4-2 with 2:40 left in the game.

The Knights would not go away, however, pulling Soderwall for an extra attacker and cashing in on the opportunity in the final minute. Tate Taylor pulled the puck down on an attempted clear by Princeton and then sent a pass down the right side to Ryan Bottrill. Beneath the goal line, Bottrill centered the puck in the slot for Remi Gelinas, and he flipped the puck over the right leg pad with 44.4 seconds to go.

Clarkson owned possession for much of the final 30 seconds in the Princeton defensive zone, but the Knights were unable to find the equalizer.

The two teams each went through long runs of stagnant offense, but ended up close to even in shots as Princeton had two more shots on goal than the Knights, 28-26. Shane Soderwall ended up with 24 saves for Clarkson and Conor Callaghan finished with 23 stops for the Tigers.


 
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